Chapter 1: The Eternal Christ

  IN THIS CHAPTER, you will discover:

·   Christ as the preexistent Logos, or Word of God.

·   The Incarnation as the bridge between finite man and infinite God.

·   The biblical and experiential basis for regarding Jesus as Lord.

·   Jesus as incarnate Lord and Savior.

AS A RESULT, you will be able to:

·   Comprehend the historical Jesus in light of the eternal Christ.

·   Have faith in Christ as the ever living Lord.

·   Know Christ more fully as Savior by knowing Him more fully as Lord.

Key Scripture: “"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”" (John 1:1).

Key Words: Preexistent, Logos

The story of Jesus does not begin with His earthly appearance in Bethlehem. To grasp the true significance of Jesus’ life and teaching, we must view the historical Christ together with the preexistent, eternal Christ. As the Logos, or Word of God, Christ “was with God, and . . . was God” before the beginning of creation.

Christ was not inactive in His preexistence with the Father. The Bible says that Christ was the exclusive agent of creation. All things were made through Him and for Him. God the Son is the origin, meaning, and goal of all existence. This fact has many important implications. The created order has beauty and coherence, because it was established by Christ and has Christ as its end or consummation (1 Cor. 15:24-28). For the same reason, each of us has individual significance as a part of God's eternal plan. It is awesome to think that God loved you and planned your redemption before creation (Rom. 8:28-39)!

Because Christ is both the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the final fact, He is the only fully trustworthy focus for our faith. By appearing in history as Jesus the Messiah and Savior, Christ demonstrated that His love for us as Redeemer is as great as His power as Creator.

The Preexistence of Christ

I. The Preexistence of Christ

• • Proclaimed by Paul (Col. 1:17).
• • Claimed by Jesus (John 3:13; 6:62; 8:58; 17:5).

II. The Mode of Christ's Preexistence

• • As God (John 1:1).
• • As the Son of God (Rom. 8:3; Gal. 4:4).
• • As having the "form" or essential "nature" of God (Phil. 2:6).
• • As "rich" with divine attributes (2 Cor. 8:9).

III. The Activities of the Preexistent Christ

• • The exclusive agent of creation (John 1:3).
• • The sphere, agent, and aim of existence (Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:6).

IV. Implications of Christ's Preexistence and Creative Activity

• • The created order has coherence, beauty, and meaning.
• • Each individual has significance in God's eternal plan.
• • Christ is the only trustworthy focus for our faith.

Scripture Reading: John 1:1-18.

While none of the gospel writers attempted to write merely historical biographies of Jesus, John's gospel is especially profound in its presentation of the cosmic dimensions of Jesus person and nature. Since John was writing for a Gentile audience who would not understand the Jewish concept of a Messiah, he presented Jesus in other, equally dramatic terms they would understand.

The Logos was the most important concept in Greek philosophy. It literally meant "Word," but over the centuries had come to stand for "Reason" - the pattern, source, and meaning of all existence. The Jewish philosopher Philo blended Hebrew and Greek theological ideas together in writing about the Logos as the intermediary between God and creation. John's unique message to the world was that the divine Logos had become flesh in Jesus Christ (John 1:14). The source of all light, life, and truth had taken human form. The very embodiment of reality had come to offer grace and eternal life to those who would receive Him (John 1:12, 17).

Life Application: What does it mean to you that God loved you and planned your redemption before creation? That all things will one day be summed up in Christ? Reread Romans 8:28-39 and 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 and consider what effect these truths should have on your attitude toward anxiety, priorities, and faith.

Key Scripture: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation"” (Col. 1:15).

Key Word: Incarnation

God is not an object that the universe can contain. His eternity and immensity precede the creation of time and space. He is Spirit and therefore invisible to the mortal eye. Were we to sense directly the thoughts of God, it would shatter the delicate latticework of our human logic. Were we to behold the undiluted radiance of His being, we would be annihilated by the light of His glory. Indeed, so great is the gap between the uncreated, transcendent nature of deity and finite human existence that God said, "No one may see me and live" (Ex. 33:20).

In John's gospel we are shown how God bridged this gap through the Incarnation. John presents Jesus as the Word (Logos) of God become flesh. In human speech the spoken word audibly expresses an intangible inner reality. Similarly, through Jesus the divine Word, the unknowable inner nature of the divine mind becomes audible, comprehensible, and tangible. The incarnation of Christ as divine Logos revealed the Father's desire to communicate with humanity and His willingness to meet us where we are and as we are.

Jesus is the eternal self-manifestation of the invisible God. But He is more than that. Words imply a speaker; and Christ as the living Word is not merely a force, but a person capable of communicating and caring. Through Him we can know, love, and trust God. Through Him the reality of the divine Spirit can flow to us, and we can receive the assurance that we are loved and accepted by God.

The Significance of Christ as the Word (Logos) of God

I. The Significance of Christ as the Word (Logos) of God

• • Reveals the inner nature of the otherwise unknowable God.
• • Reveals the Father's desire to communicate with humanity.
• • Reveals the Father's willingness to meet us where we are.
• • Not merely a force but a person.

II. The Hidden Nature of God

• • Invisible (John 1:18; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17).
• • Inconceivable; unknowable (Matt. 11:27; 1 Tim. 6:15-16).

III. God Manifested in the Incarnation

• • Jesus is God in bodily form (1 Tim. 3:16).
• • Jesus is the "image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15).
• • Jesus is the "exact representation of his being" (Heb. 1:3).
• • Jesus possesses God's nature as God the Son (John 10:30; 14:9).

IV. The Two Levels of Revelation of the Invisible God

• • In creation Christ revealed the mind of God.
• • In the Incarnation Christ revealed the heart of God.

V. Responding to the Incarnation

• • A God who can be known is a God who can be loved.
• • A God who reveals Himself is a God who can be trusted.
• • A God who draws near to us is a God who cares.

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:5-80; Matthew 1:18-25.

Our study of the Jesus of history begins with the miraculous birth of John the Baptist. The angel Gabriel told Zechariah that his son would be "filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth" (Luke 1:15). He would be a prophet "in the spirit and power of Elijah" who would "make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (v. 17). Four hundred years earlier the prophet Malachi had foretold that just such a figure would act as the forerunner to the Messiah (Mal. 4:5-6).

Six months later Gabriel announced to the betrothed virgin Mary that she would give birth to a son who was to be named Jesus, a name meaning "Yahweh is salvation." The child would be special the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32). He would not have a human father, but be born after Mary was overshadowed by "the power of the Most High" (v. 35; cf. Gen. 1:1-2).

The reactions of Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary to the unusual events contained in the first chapter of Luke are varied and rich with human drama. They not only give Luke's account an historical feel, but also offer us object lessons about believing and trusting God.

Life Application: When Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary were asked by God to carry out a task, their initial response was fear. After they were told to "fear not" and felt accepted by God, they were free to obey. Is God asking you to do something? Are you afraid? Have you prayed for the courage to overcome your fear?

Key Scripture: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).  

Key Words: Tetragrammaton, Kyrios, Septuagint

At the time of the birth of Christianity, Rome had conquered almost all of the known world. Men and women everywhere were forced to pay homage to imperial Rome by acknowledging that “Caesar is Lord.” Only the Christians refused to do so. The essence of the gospel message for the early church was “Jesus is Lord.” Christians refused to give that title to any other. Although it meant being torn apart by wild beasts or subjected to other agonizing forms of torture and execution, countless Christian martyrs embraced death rather than forswear the lordship of Jesus Christ.  

What did the statement “Jesus is Lord” mean to early Christians? It was a recognition and pledge of allegiance to the name that was above all names (Phil. 2:9-11). It was the fruit of a revelation of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). It was a confession that brought healing and salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). Finally, it was a proclamation and celebration that Jesus was God, come to seek and to save the lost.   Christians today can continue to affirm that “Jesus is Lord” because, unlike the founders of other religions, the living Christ remains our contemporary. In addition, as we surrender every area of our lives to Christ, He becomes our Lord in a practical, personal sense. We are able to recognize Him more and more deeply in His fullness as “Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  

Meaning of "Jesus Is Lord"

I. Meanings of the Statement “Jesus is Lord”  

• Historical: The Bible declares that Jesus is Lord. [Note: The tetragrammaton YHWH—the four Hebrew letters for the name of God—was never pronounced because of its sacredness, so adonai (“my Lord”) was substituted in reading. This was translated kyrios in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Jesus is identified with Yahweh when kyrios (“Lord”) is applied to Christ in the New Testament (Acts 2:36; Rom. 1:4, 14:8; Phil. 2:9-11). Jesus is similarly identified when the worship accorded to Yahweh is also given to Him (Isa. 45:23; cf. Phil. 2:10)].
• Personal: I can affirm that Jesus is my Lord.  

II. Meaning of the Statement “Jesus is Savior”  

• Historical: Jesus has acted as our Savior by incarnating and dying on the cross for our sins.
• Personal: I can affirm that Jesus is my Savior and a contemporary living source of grace.  

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-39; Matthew 2:1-23.  

While John wrote his gospel primarily for Greeks, Matthew wrote his for a Jewish audience. Throughout the birth narrative Matthew makes us aware of how the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ nativity were foreseen in prophecy. For example, the events that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem set the stage for the fulfillment of Micah 5:2 (cf. Matt. 2:6). Mary’s virgin conception of Jesus and His nature as God’s son were foreseen in Isaiah 7:14 (1:22-23). Matthew saw Herod’s horrendous infanticide prophesied in Jeremiah 31:15 (2:18), and the holy family’s flight to Egypt as foretold in Hosea 11:1 (2:15).  

Luke’s gospel was written for a Roman audience, and a recurrent theme is the universal scope of Jesus’ mission of redemption. Heavenly angels sang to the shepherds of the great joy that would be “for all the people” (Luke 2:10). Simeon prophetically declared that Christ would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (2:32).  

Matthew and Luke’s emphases do not conflict. Jesus was meant to be a Jewish Messiah who would act as a universal Savior. The Old Testament prophecies portrayed the Messiah as “a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). As we shall see, many Jews would reject Jesus because of His broad outreach. Perhaps this is why Simeon prophesied: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).

Life Application: Is there an area of your life in which you need to experience Christ as your Savior, or in which you need personal victory? Is Christ fully Lord of that area? If not, ask Him to take control of it today.

Key Scripture: “"If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord"” (Rom. 14:8).

Key Word: Theocracy

We sometimes separate Jesus' status as Lord from His role as Savior. It is true that Jesus is Lord of all by virtue of being God, and Savior only to those who place their trust in Him. Yet to know Christ as Savior is to know Him as Lord. We cannot accept Jesus as Savior now, and then later accept Him as Lord. As our Key Scripture points out, it is false and dangerous to think this way. Christ is able to save us only because He is Lord: "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living"(Rom. 14:9). We are saved because Christ purchased us with His blood. Since He has proprietorship over us, He has the right of sovereignty over our lives, for we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19).

The fact of Jesus' lordship is dramatically highlighted by Paul in Romans 14:11-12: "'As surely as I live,'says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'’ So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God"”(cf. Isa. 45:23). Will you bow out of love and understanding, or out of fear? Will your account be "gold, silver, costly stones" or "wood, hay or straw" (1 Cor. 3:12-15)?

The Effect of the Lordship of Jesus

I. The Effect of the Lordship of Jesus

• • Our Christian thought and experience are integrated into a liberating whole.
• • We stand in right relationship with Christ (Rom. 14:7-8).
• • We are freed from obsessive self-centeredness.
• • The redemptive purposes of God are accomplished.

II. Jesus' Divine Right of Lordship

• •Jesus has the right to exercise lordship because He purchased us with his blood (Rom. 14:9; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:19).
• •Jesus has the right of total lordship. He owns our eyes to look upon a needy world; He owns our hands to do his work; He owns our hearts to love our brethren; etc.

III. The Realms of Jesus' Lordship

• • The Living: In life we are responsible to Him (Rom. 14:8).
• • The Dead: In death we are accountable to Him (2 Cor. 5:10).

IV. The Rules of Jesus' Lordship

• • Unconditional submission to Christ in every area of our lives.
• • Unashamed confession of Christ in every relationship.

V. The Unequivocal Nature of Jesus' Lordship

• • There is no way to choose Christ as Savior but not as Lord.
• • There is no neutrality; we either deny or affirm Christ's claim to lordship.
• • There is no resting place in living in submission to Christ; we must take up our cross anew each day (Luke 9:23).

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:40-3:18; Matthew 3:1-6, 13-17; 4:1-11.

Little is said in the gospels about the period between Jesus' birth and the beginning of His public ministry. Luke tells us the most about these so-called "silent years." Jesus is described as a child who was "filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him" (2:40). He led a normal family life. It was not until Jesus’ visit to the temple that His growing awareness of His messianic calling became evident. The significance of His astute questioning of the temple teachers and His reference to the temple as "his Father's house" (v. 49) was not lost on Mary, who "treasured all these things in her heart" (v. 51).

Approximately thirty years after Jesus' birth, His cousin John began preaching that the kingdom of God was near. Clad in the rustic garb of Elijah, he drew huge crowds to the Judean wilderness to undergo a baptism of repentance. When Jesus himself answered John's call, the Baptist recognized Him as the promised Messiah. God confirmed Jesus' sonship as the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove.

After Jesus' baptism, the Spirit led Him out into the wilderness to be tempted. How should He accomplish the messianic task of bringing about the kingdom of God? Should He attack the social problems of the day? Gain public acclaim through miracles? Feed the multitudes? Take political control of the kingdoms of the world through a divine theocracy? Jesus resisted Satan's snares, knowing that any path other than obedience to the Father's own plan would end in disaster.

Life Application: Is Jesus lord of every area of your life? It is not sufficient to have a hands-off attitude that passively waits for the Lord to act or to direct you. You should actively seek to have values, motives, and behavior that reflect Christ's own. The Bible teaches that this is possible as you acquire the mind of Christ (Rom. 12:2; 1 Cor. 2:16). In what area can you especially seek to manifest the mind of Christ today?